ENG-HAMPSHIRE-KINGSCLERE-L Archives

Archiver > ENG-HAMPSHIRE-KINGSCLERE > 2005-07 > 1120237243


From: "Geoff" <>
Subject: re : Photos now on-line at HRO website
Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2005 18:00:43 +0100


Thanks for the links to the 10,000 old Hampshire photos, Mike. It's been
good fun looking (after I re-read your advice & search for 'Digital image'
rather than 'photographs')

It seems such a shame that Hampshire continue to invest in cataloguing their
collection without allocating a web address to the documents. It's like
they've barely progressed from the era of handwriting details onto index
files. Without a web address, it seems to me, 90% of their cataloguing
efforts are wasted.

4 examples spring to mind
--- I'd love to add an internet link to some of the photo's on the HRO web
site. Even without separate web addresses, couldn't bookmarks be allocated?

--- As you mention Mike, the HRO search engine is pretty awful. If they open
the documents to the internet, web search engines could do most of the
search & catalogue work for them.

--- HRO may have scanned & catalogued a old photo of my neighbours house,
but the chance of him stumbling on it inside Hampshire's private domain are
extremely slim.

--- If I have information on an unidentified person in a photo, without a
web address for the photo, I can't broadcast the fact. With a web address,
Google (for instance*) will instantly show you all documents that link to
that photo. As long as HRO stores them in their private domain, the
information lives in a sterile cul-de-sac. (*if you've not come across this
handy Google facility yet it's in advanced search)

I know this is not the place to complain, but does anyone know if Hampshire
records are to be put openly online. If not perhaps someone knows a suitable
contact in HRO's. I'll then ask & pass on what progress they are making
towards an normal, open access record system.

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